The Cross River State Government has distanced Governor Bassey Otu from the arrest and prosecution of social commentator and entrepreneur, Dennis Odama, saying the case did not originate from the governor or the state government.
Odama was arrested by the police in Festac Town, Lagos State, and subsequently transferred to Calabar, where he was arraigned before a Magistrates’ Court and remanded in prison custody.
His arrest followed a petition reportedly filed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on General Duties, Ekpenyong Akiba, and the Commissioner for Works, Ankpo Pius, accusing Odama of making comments and social media posts allegedly considered inciting and defamatory of the governor.
However, the Commissioner for Information, Ekpenyong Cobham, on Tuesday said the petition was not instituted by the state government, stressing that the appropriate government offices would have handled the matter if it had originated from the administration.
Cobham stated this during an impromptu engagement with journalists in Calabar while responding to questions on Odama’s arrest and prosecution.
He said, “The state government and the office of the Executive Governor should be alienated from this process because this process never originated from there.”
According to the commissioner, the petition was initiated by the individuals involved in their personal capacities following comments allegedly made by Odama against officials of the state government.
He said the matter had now entered the legal process and should be allowed to run its course rather than being politicised.
Cobham said the key issue was whether Odama’s alleged actions violated existing laws regulating the social media space and whether the processes leading to his prosecution complied with the law.
He urged lawyers and others seeking to defend Odama to do so through the courts, stressing that the matter should not be determined through political arguments or media commentary.
“The due process of the law is taking its course,” he said.
The commissioner also challenged Odama to make public any information he might have concerning allegations against the state government, particularly claims that some government officials were being shielded from redeployment because they allegedly possessed compromising information.
He said if Odama had such information, he should submit it to the appropriate authorities rather than circulate it on social media.
Turning to the role of the media, Cobham urged journalists to go beyond official statements and independently verify claims before publication.
He said the state government remained committed to constructive engagement with journalists and would provide information on its policies, programmes and projects to help curb misinformation.
As part of the effort, Cobham disclosed that the government planned to conduct a project-by-project assessment to establish the actual status of its projects.
According to him, the exercise would give journalists access to verified information and enable them to report authoritatively on the administration’s achievements.
He said the initiative was also aimed at strengthening the relationship between the government and the media and ensuring that members of the public received accurate information.
Cobham, however, returned to the Odama case, maintaining that it should not be politicised and urging all stakeholders to allow the court to determine the matter in accordance with the law.